The hands were raised and then whirred like lassos as if Mark Cavendish were banishing the illness and ill-fortune that has clung tightly to him at this year's Tour de France. And then came a smile, as wide as the gap to those he had left behind.

It moves the Manxman to within one victory of the Frenchman André Leducq, who won 25 stages at the Tour between the wars, and within sight of Bernard Hinault, second on the list with 28. For now Eddy Merckx, with 34, remains out on his own – just like he often was during his racing days – yet Cavendish could overtake him if his legs stay as strong as his hunger.

For now, though, he prefers to live in the moment. "I'm super happy with that, but it still wasn't easy," he said. "I'm still suffering. I'm a lot better but I'm still not 100% after being ill last week."

But this was much more like the Cavendish of old. As the peloton arced down the Avenue du Prado and leant into the last of the course's 55 roundabouts he was in a prime position, just behind his lead-out man Gert Steegmans. Then, as the pair hit the Avenue Pierre Mendès, he waited until there was 150m to go before pulling the trigger. Edvald Boasson Hagen in second, Peter Sagan third and André Greipel fourth, were immediately left chasing the minor places.

"The sprint wasn't too difficult," admitted Cavendish. "I didn't really do anything. If I'd lost that I would have let the guys down. Matteo [Trentin] did a massive turn and then Gert went at such speed I didn't have to accelerate: I just carried on the speed that he delivered me."

Earlier, the fifth stage, 228.5km from Cagnes-Sur-Mer to Marseille, followed the classic template of a long, mostly flat day. An early breakaway and a gap that grew almost imperceptibly to over 12 minutes. A half-hearted chase for the next 160km. And then the upping of revs leading to a final, chaotic, group sprint.

Of the four riders in the breakaway in the final few kilometres, Europcar's Kévin Reza was attempting to become the first black cyclist to win a Tour stage, while his team-mate Yukiya Arashiro was striving to be the first Japanese rider to do the same. But after being alone for more than 220km the game was up for them — but not for Cavendish.

"When I reached the uncategorised climb [12km from the finish] I remembered it," said Cavendish. "It's in the Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise in 2007. That was my first race as a professional. We turned left and I thought I know this climb, Jeremy Hunt won it the year I did it, so I knew I could hang on. When the guys have ridden with such confidence in me I really have to give everything at the finish."

On the line he was greeted by the great French sprinter André Darrigade, who won 22 stages of the Tour in the 1950s and 1960s and at 84 still twinkles with energy and mischief: "He is a fantastic rider," he said. "He can win a lot more."

After the pair hugged, Cavendish revealed how they had shared stories and anecdotes after first meeting on Monday. "It is amazing the similarities we have, even though there is 60 years between us," he said. "We have the same form, the same shape and quite a lot of the same ways to think on the bike. He's a real gentleman.

"I changed teams because I realise this race is everything for me in my career and I want to come here and win as much as possible and give the race the respect it deserves," he added.

Rolf Aldag, Omega Pharma-Quick Step's sport and development manager, wanted to issue a warning to Cavendish's rivals. "Nobody had a chance," he said. "I don't know if that is the best Cav, but it's good enough for me. If he is 100%, he is winning on the Champs-Elysées 25m ahead of the second man."

The promise of more immediate riches awaits during Thursday's 176.5km sixth stage from Aix-en-Provence to Montpellier. When the Tour was last in Montpellier in 2011 Cavendish won the stage. A repeat prescription would do nicely.

TOUR DE FRANCE RECORD STAGE WINNERS

Eddy Merckx (1969 to 1975) – 34 stage wins

Bernard Hinault (1978 to 1986) – 28

André Leducq (1927 to 1935) – 25

MARK CAVENDISH (2008 to present) – 24

André Darrigade (1953 to 1964) – 22

Nicolas Frantz (1924 to 1929) – 20

François Faber (1908 to 1914) – 19

*Lance Armstrong previously had 22 stage wins to his name but was stripped of 21 of them for doping infractions.